Mon Mar 31 00:20:00 UTC 2025: ## House Subcommittee Targets NPR and PBS Funding in Contentious Hearing

**Washington, D.C.** – The CEOs of NPR and PBS, Katherine Maher and Paula Kerger, respectively, faced a hostile House subcommittee hearing Wednesday, where Republican lawmakers aimed to eliminate federal funding for the public broadcasters. The hearing, titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the Heads of NPR and PBS Accountable,” was chaired by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and focused on allegations of liberal bias.

Greene accused NPR and PBS of biased coverage regarding the Hunter Biden laptop, COVID-19 origins, and the “Russian collusion hoax,” demanding an explanation for why they should continue receiving taxpayer money. The effort to defund the networks has gained traction from prominent figures like Elon Musk, who has labeled NPR “state-affiliated” on X (formerly Twitter) and ceased NPR’s presence on the platform.

While Maher and Kerger defended their networks’ journalistic integrity and emphasized the vital role public media plays in providing diverse programming, emergency broadcasting services, and local news coverage across the country, the hearing appeared designed more for political posturing than genuine inquiry. The hearing also featured testimony from Ed Ulman of Alaska Public Media (invited by Democrats) and Michael Gonzalez of the Heritage Foundation, a critic of public media.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) currently receives $535 million in federal funding, with about 1% directly going to NPR and 16% to PBS. While national networks receive a relatively small portion of federal funds, many local public media stations, especially in rural areas, rely heavily on CPB funding, potentially facing an existential crisis if funding is cut.

The hearing comes amid broader efforts to curtail public media funding, including the “No Propaganda Bill” introduced by Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA) and Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA). FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has also launched inquiries into NPR and PBS, questioning the legality of their corporate underwriting.

Supporters of defunding argue that private funding sources could replace federal support, pointing to examples like Sesame Street’s past relationship with HBO. However, Sesame Workshop’s recent layoff of 20% of its staff after losing its HBO deal counters that argument, illustrating the challenges of relying solely on private funding. Both NPR and PBS maintain their corporate underwriting practices comply with federal regulations. The hearing highlights a growing partisan divide over the future of public broadcasting in the United States.

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